Spread pricing is the difference between what pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) charge health plans for drugs and what the pharmacy actually pays for them. Often, this “spread” can be substantial, as PBMs profit greatly from their lack of transparency… so it’s not surprising spread pricing has attracted attention on Capitol Hill.
On December 11, the House of Representatives passed The Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, a health care package that would place a ban on PBM spread pricing in Medicaid. It’s just the latest piece of federal legislation that, if signed into law, would take an important first step to putting a stop to this unfair and deceptive practice.
But rather than wait for a government fix, MedBen Rx already offers a solution that simply removes spread pricing from the equation: Acquisition Cost Index (ACI) pricing, in which you pay what the pharmacies pay, plus dispensing and administrative fees. We work to keep the cost of patient medications as low as possible through complete transparency – no markups or margin manipulation, meaning no hidden PBM profits.
Get more information on ACI pricing and other MedBen Rx pharmacy solutions by calling us at 888-627-8683.